<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Alison Taylor, the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/new-zealand" rel="" target="" title="New Zealand"><span>New Zealand</span></a><span> woman who died when she was charged by an elephant in a Zambian national park, is being remembered as a linchpin of her community.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taylor, 67, died alongside a relative, who was a long-time travelling companion, as the pair journeyed through the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world" rel="" target="" title="South Luangwa National Park in Zambia"><span>South Luangwa National Park in Zambia</span></a><span> on a walking tour.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The attack on July 3 </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/elephant-kills-2-female-tourists-from-the-uk-and-new-zealand-in-zambian-national-park/36421608-27c1-4008-9708-13405c4f1bca" rel="" target="_blank" title="occurred when their group came upon an elephant that was with its calf"><span>occurred when their group came upon an elephant that was with its calf</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/giant-moa-de-extinction-project-sir-peter-jackson-colossal-biosciences-new-zealand-tribes-collaborate/d781a673-950c-47f1-a156-9e0d6ac2f0ad" rel="" target="" title="Extinct no moa? Meeting with movie maker could resurrect a lost giant"><strong><span>Extinct no moa? Meeting with movie maker could resurrect a lost giant</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The elephant charged Alison Taylor first, who had ongoing issues with one of her legs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Local police said guides fired shots at and wounded the elephant, but were unable to stop its attack, and the two women were killed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Councillor Geoff Hayward from Porirua City Council said the long-time Tītahi Bay resident represented the "best of the bay".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/new-zealand-elephant-charge-victim-alison-taylor-remembered-as-community-stalwart/a3ce2d39-15cd-40f0-83cd-ccc117298630" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-pub-manager-landlord-clash-the-hobson-stores-sandringham/8b3a7df7-e8e5-4808-990c-8fdf404679e2" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Landlord and publican locked in fierce battle over this Melbourne pub</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said she was an important part of her local community, an "open, cheerful" volunteer who gave her time to help others through her work at the Porirua Citizens Advice Bureau, where she served as Deputy Chair.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's something about a person who gives up their time to help someone else," Hayward said, telling </span><em><span>Stuff</span></em><span> that Taylor "just represents the best of us".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And I think the sorrow that we all feel is a reflection of losing someone who, by their example, showed that we can give more.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Tragedies like this always remind us of just how precious our time is. She certainly lived a full life and we were all beneficiaries of it."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taylor's colleagues at the Porirua Citizens Advice Bureau said she was "a valued and highly effective volunteer" and "will be profoundly missed".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Studies at Otago University and the London School of Economics bookended time working in Wellington before Taylor launched into a long career in the public service in the capital, working for the Treasury and Statistics NZ before starting her own consultancy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-navy-ship-causes-radio-and-internet-outages-to-parts-of-nz/7f5910c2-612a-4680-b7e1-283f0f4c5032"><strong><span>Australian navy accidentally cuts internet access in parts of New Zealand</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Alison was a very special person and will be greatly missed by her family, friends and work colleagues," a close friend told </span><em><span>Stuff</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Her family request privacy at this time."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Zambia's Eastern Province Police Commissioner Robertson Mweemba earlier gave details of the incident, saying a member of the guiding party first saw the animal and shouted "Elephant!"</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As they turned to see, they saw it charging at a high speed and due to the fact that Alison Jean Taylor had a leg problem, she was caught first," Mweemba said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a statement, Zambia's Ministry of Tourism expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the two women. It said an investigation was ongoing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Zambia's national parks are globally renowned for offering exceptional and authentic wildlife experiences. However, we wish to remind all visitors that these experiences take place in wilderness settings where wildlife behaves unpredictably," the tourism ministry said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As such, we urge all guests to exercise caution and strictly follow the safety guidelines provided by their tour guides and escort scouts at all times."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>This article has been reproduced with permission from</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360751503/remembering-alison-elephant-charge-victim-was-best-us" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Stuff.co.nz"><strong><span>Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a><strong><span>.</span></strong></div></div>